A store tells only part of the story of those who create it.
Take PXG Westchester in New Rochelle – the golf apparel and experience store that reflects both a city on the rise and a metro area that is the No. 1 golf market in the United States, with more than 95 courses within a 20-mile radius.
The two-year-old, 7,541-square-foot facility – one of 24 such stores in the nation, with one in London and in Tokyo – boasts a retail showroom with PXG’s latest apparel and accessories, including bags and hats; four fitting bays with guest seating and state-of-the-art golf simulators powered by TrackMan technology; a dedicated 465 sf putter fitting studio to optimize your putting game; a 185 sf practice putting green to experience PXG’s Battle Ready putter performance; and a customer lounge where you can relax after your fitting or watch the latest golf events.
But all this cutting-edge luxury doesn’t tell the story of the vet who grew up “poor as a church mouse” and went off to ’Nam or of the girl who began working in the family restaurant at 13 – the P in PXG (Parsons Xtreme Golf), Bob and Renee Parsons.
He is the founder of GoDaddy – the world’s largest domain name registrar – and the CEO and founder of YAM Worldwide, which embraces his entrepreneurial ventures in golf, finance, innovation, marketing, motorcycles, real estate and philanthropy but whose name is an acronym for “You’re a Mess,” a reminder that you can always do better. She is the president and executive creative director of PXG Apparel, leading hospitality and design at Scottsdale National Golf Club, one of YAM Worldwide’s companies, in the couple’s hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona. Together, they make up one of the intriguing power couples that you’ll find as Westfair launches this occasional series, which was previewed last November in our profile of married Westport actors Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
Even though the couple aren’t based here, they’re bullish on the area.
“My affinity for New York continues to grow with every visit,” Renee Parsons said. “From hitting balls off Chelsea Piers to attending Fashion Week, New York is always a source of inspiration and fun. The PXG brand and our unique direct-to-consumer experience pair beautifully with the city’s vibrance, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to serve the community through PXG Westchester.”
As for the Sound Shore city to the north, Bob Parsons added: “New Rochelle is an exceptional location for PXG’s retail store. The area is stirring with economic growth, and interest in golf is the highest we’ve seen across the nation. Our hope is that New York-based PXG Troops (customers) will have easy access to the absolute best, personalized golf experience in the business at our store and through your mobile fitters.”
His…
Of the two, Bob Parsons has perhaps the more dramatic story. The “poor as a church mouse” description on his website stems from a Baltimore childhood that might’ve been solidly middle class – father a Montgomery Ward salesman, mother a homemaker – but for both parents being gamblers.
“I’ve earned everything I’ve ever received,” he wrote on his blog. “Very little was given to me. I’ve been working as long as I can remember. Whether it was delivering or selling newspapers, pumping gas, working in construction or in a factory, I’ve always been making my own money.”
After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Vietnam, where he was wounded in action, receiving the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. His military service would provide entrée to college stateside on the GI Bill as he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore.
Not all of his education came in a classroom. He taught himself how to write computer programs in his basement and in 1984 launched his first business, Parsons Technology. When he sold it to Intuit 10 years later for $64 million, the company had $100 million in annual revenue, three million customers and almost 1,000 employees.
In 1997, Parsons launched Jomax Technologies, which would become GoDaddy. He sold his majority stake in 2011 in a deal that valued the company at $2.3 billion.
But Parsons was far from done. A year later, he founded YAM Worldwide. Besides PXG and Scottsdale National Golf Club, it includes Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale, GO AZ Motorcycles and YAM Properties.
Perhaps not surprising for an entirely self-made man, Parsons has been unfazed over controversies involving racy Go Daddy ads. He has, however, also given back through The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, which the couple founded in 2012 to work in the areas of homelessness, medical care, LGBTQ youth, education and the needs of wounded veterans and military families.
…and Hers
Growing up in Michigan, Renee Parsons learned the value of hard work and serving others. At 13, she began working at The Pixie, a restaurant her grandfather opened in 1945. From there, she set out for a career in hospitality, earning a Bachelor of Arts in hospitality and business from Central Michigan University. Her years in the hotel business took her to Chicago and ultimately to Scottsdale, where she met her husband, joining the GoDaddy team in 2009. In one year, Parsons launched GoDaddy Cares to benefit such organizations as Make-A-Wish Arizona and Hope for Haiti.
When she is not running the Parsons’ foundation, she is creating items for PXG Apparel:
“At PXG, we are committed to creating fashionable, high-performance, cutting-edge designs so our customers can move with ease and confidence throughout their day.”
On Leap Day, Parsons leapt into unveiling the Spring/Summer 2024 Apparel Collection, which was designed to blend nostalgia with contemporary design in five curated capsules containing 52 golf and lifestyle pieces for men and women.
“The PXG Fall/Winter 2024 collection is comprised of seasonally dynamic pieces that pay homage to traditional golf apparel while pushing design boundaries,” she said. “In addition to our offering of UV protection, quick dry and moisture wicking on our polos, we are using recycled fabrics for key women’s styles and added wind and water resistance to our outerwear fabrics. The entirety of the collection is fresh, with sophisticated pieces that enhance performance both on and off the course.”
For Parsons, golf and golf fashion are tied to women’s advancement as deals are often born or made on the links. On June 3 in what was Women’s Golf Month, Parsons hosted PXG’s annual Women’s Day to Play at Scottsdale National Golf Club. The event for all female PXG employees included affirmations, sweet treats, a leadership panel, networking and, of course, golf.
